Northern Champaign: An Underserved Community

2. Northern Champaign: An Underserved Community • Low income1 (2000): • Immediately surrounding Douglass Park median household income is between $22,000 – 32,000 • Housing1(2000): • Immediately surrounding Douglass Park 19 – 25% of monthly rent is less than $300 • Education2 (2004): • Percent low income students in all Champaign Unit 4 schools: 33.8% • Percent low income students at B. T. Washington Elementary: 68.2% • Percent low income students at Stratton Elementary: 81.8% StrattonElementary Douglass Park Center of U of Illinois Campus 2000 Census. www.census.gov Regional Planning Commission. Champaign County Statistical Abstract

3. Our Vision: Create a Community Garden. We envision our community garden to be an open space where residents can rent plots of land to grow their own food, learn about gardening, and strengthen their community. • Environment • Supports “green” agricultural practices • Provides high quality, affordable produce • Improves ecology and value of the surrounding community • Education • Instructs residents about the essentials of gardening and environmentalism through classes • Fulfills the “No Child Left Inside” Act • Promotes intergenerational cooperation • Emphasizes nutrition and physical activity • Entrepreneurship • Perpetuates a sustainable business by generating revenue • Draws further funding from other grants in the future

4. Community Garden Success Stories • St. Louis and New York City • Community gardens increased home values, owner occupancy, and household income. • The greatest positive impact was found in the most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. • Flint, Michigan • The city is using community gardens to offset problems with decreasing population and stagnation by turning to community empowerment. • Cincinnati • The City Barn Community Garden has been thriving for over three years. • It is integral in bridging two divergent socio-economic communities and provides a constructive outlet for the youth and unemployed. The common success factor of each garden is the strong support of the local community & government

5. Located in Douglass Park (Northern Champaign) The City of Champaign supports our initiative. Land to be provided by the Champaign Park District. Garden B. T. Washington Elementary School Public Library Community Center

6. An Environmental Impact… • The carbon footprint will be reduced. • The average U.S. meal travels 1,500 miles. Providing a local source of produce will help reduce the distance food travels. • Water runoff will be absorbed. • The garden will provide area for water to infiltrate the soil and replenish groundwater supplies. • Landfill waste will be mitigated. • Using locally grown produce reduces the need for packaging, limiting the amount of waste material that ends up in landfills. • Air quality will be improved. • The plants grown in the garden will help filter the air while also absorbing carbon dioxide and adding oxygen. • Bio-diversity will be increased. • Replacing grass with multiple crops increases the number of species living in the area, providing resistance to disease and infestation.

7. An Educational Experience… • Classes offered to the public (taking place in the community portion of the garden, the community center, and school on the property) will be supported by community leaders and university members. • Types of classes to be offered: • Composting, basic botany and planting, garden design, dealing with pests, basic nutrition, cooking and preservation, rain water sequestration • Intergenerational Programs • Working with existing Champaign youth-senior programs, we aim to integrate proven intergenerational education to promote sustainability, nutrition, and physical activity. • This will provide interaction for isolated seniors and role models for children.

8. An Educational Experience (cont)… • B. T. Washington Elementary School • Partnership and close proximity to Booker T. Washington Elementary School will allow for integration of the classroom and garden. • No Child Left Inside Act (Federal Mandate): • The garden will bring this act to life by providing hands on environmental education, proven to improve science and social studies test scores. • Physical Activity • The garden will provide an opportunity for needed physical activity, especially in light of obesity concerns. • Nutrition • Low income households typically eat unhealthy foods. We will work with school children to provide nutrition education and fresh produce.

9. An Entrepreneurial Venture… • The community garden is designed to become self-sufficient as it matures by generating revenue. • $25 per season for private plots, class fees, and selling a portion of the produce at two local farmers markets • The Social Entrepreneurship Institute at the College of Business will provide entrepreneurial skills workshops to elementary children at school and adults at the community center. • Marketing, basic finance, and business writing skills, among others, will be taught. • The skill sets learned will be applied while selling produce at the farmers markets. • Gardeners must abide by community garden guidelines regarding maintenance and gardening etiquette.

10. Local & National Support • Champaign Park District • Will provide land at Douglass Park • City of Champaign • William Kyles, Champaign County Representative: liaison between all parties involved • Champaign Unit 4 School District • Kristine Chalifoux, School Board • University of Illinois, Education and Garden Coordinators • Collette Niland, Assistant Dean, College of Business • Zachary Grant, University of Illinois Student Farm manager • Master Gardeners led by Sandra Mason, University Horticulture Extension • Local businesses including: • Prairieview Landscaping: supply heavy machinery • True Value (hardware store): provide 10% discount on all purchases • B-Lime (a green store): publicize and promote the garden

11. State Support

13. Douglass Park Garden: Timeline of Events

14. Total Anticipated Start Up Cost: $9,200 The remainder of the $10,000 will be used to subsidize classes Source: UrbanHarvest.org